A Record-Breaking Cookie Run

On Saturday, May 18, the vibe was friendly, especially dog-friendly, as several hundred runners and walkers and lots of dogs gathered in Stanley Park in Westfield to participate in the third annual Will Run for Cookies Race.

Onsite registration began at 9 am for the 10:30 am race. We already had more than 475 people register online in the weeks leading up to the event, but now the morning arrivals carried us over the record-breaking total of 500 participants!

Several people brought their pups to take part in the run/walk, or simply to cheer on a family member in the competition. From the tiniest Chihuahua to the most enormous pair of Newfoundlands, the dogs came in all colors, shapes, and sizes.

At 10:30 am, the runners began their 5k course, followed moments later by the walkers, who took a 2k route around the park. A short while later, crowds cheered for the returning runners and walkers (with canines) as they crossed the finish line and enjoyed their complimentary cookie. Guest emcee Matt Peterson of 94.7 WMAS provided the tunes, and announced the winners in the age brackets for the run.

We are grateful to everyone who took part in our Will Run for Cookies event. Thanks to your love of animals and desire to join together for a fun day in a beautiful, blooming park, we were able to raise more than $30,000 to provide care for Dakin’s animals, and support for our many programs and services that keep pets where they belong…with their people. We hope you had fun!

Big thanks to our lead sponsors and fundraisers for their support:

  • Trailblazer Sponsor: HD Air (and Special Shout out to our Trailblazer Sponsor HD Air for fundraising an additional $649 in on top of their sponsorship)
  • Adventurer Sponsors: Berkshire Bank, Health New England, ROVI Homes, Smithland Pet Centers, and VCA Animal Hospitals
  • Buddy Sponsors: Integrity Development & Construction, and Finck & Perras Insurance
  • Media Sponsors: 94.7 WMAS and The Republican

Top Individual Fundraiser: Angelina Altobellis

Top Team Fundraisers: The Doughy Dogs

And, a very special thank you to BarkWell for supplying the dog cookies and Stop & Shop, the Girl Scouts, and Trader Joes for the cookies!

Click here to see the race results.  Visit our photo gallery to see pics from Will Run for Cookies!

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